Faith in Mount Isa
Those people who have maintained their faith in the future of Mount Isa are about to be rewarded. Without doubt 2019 will be the beginning of a major resurgence in our City's fortunes.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
We have lived for too many years under the negative messages from our major employer about the Isa Mines future, I certainly recognise the need for mining companies to be circumspect in the messages they promote, but in Mount Isa's case I feel the general public confidence has been impacted by the negativity of recent years.
Towards the latter half of 2018, the impending cessation of Mount Isa mining was replaced by a much more optimistic version, which saw the Copper Mine life extended for up to a further 15 years. Now Glencore Head Office have announced less interest in future coal expansion, and a heightened growth in Copper and Zinc mining, no doubt others will follow.
What that means is that the universal move away from Coal Fired Power Stations, towards alternative energy sources, will lead to a fast tracking of base metal exploration and production to power batteries and solar energy in the future.
For Mount Isa and our region a resurgence of interest in Mining, exploration and treatment of the known orebodies and heightened interest in the numerous other metals and commodities.
It would not surprise many pundits if Mount Isa Mines was still churning out metals in 50 years. We have just experienced a promising wet season, witnessed a strong Apprentice intake by Glencore, and been impressed by the far-reaching efforts of Mount Isa City Council, to encourage secondary industry and growth in Mount Isa.
I mentioned earlier that it would appear that our City has weathered another downturn and is looking at a strong future, would the whingers and white anters please note.
Ron McCullough,
Mount Isa
Voluntary assisted dying law reform
Queenslanders have an opportunity to have their say on voluntary assisted dying law reform by responding to an issues paper released for public comment by a cross-party State Parliamentary Inquiry.
The Health Committee of the Queensland Parliament is seeking submissions by 15 April. This is a historic opportunity because Parliament has never fully examined the issue of voluntary assisted dying.
The Health Committee is due to report back to the Parliament by the end of November and will schedule public hearings to canvass people’s views as well as expert opinions.
I urge all Queenslanders with relevant stories to tell to make a submission supporting voluntary assisted dying law reform.
This inquiry is a chance for them to have their say. It is also a chance for a cross-party inquiry to make decisions on law reforms based on facts, not fictions.
The inquiry can be contacted through the Queensland Parliament website — www.parliament.qld.gov.au.
Queenslanders should also make clear they expect any law reforms arising from the cross-party inquiry to be debated and hopefully passed by the Queensland Parliament before the next state election.
Law reform in Queensland is needed urgently on voluntary assisted dying.
Victoria has passed new laws and Western Australia is right now developing voluntary assisted dying laws.
We want to see new laws here in Queensland to give people wider options at the end of life, and we must see action taken in this term of the Queensland Parliament.
The inquiry is being conducted by a committee of the current Queensland Parliament and will report to the current Parliament, so its recommendations must be acted on by the current Parliament.
We should not wait until after the October 2020 state election.
David Muir
Chair, the Clem Jones Trust